Scrollbar user interface for multitouch devices

Abstract

Two sliding user interactions along a display surface of a multitouch input display device are detected in approximately opposite directions proximate to a display location of a scroll element displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the device. Available content displayed within the GUI is automatically zoomed based upon the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 detecting two simultaneous sliding user interactions along a display surface of a multitouch input display device axially directed relative to a length of a scrollbar and each proximate to a display location of one of first and second edges of a displayed scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the device; 
 concurrently determining:
 whether the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions result in a difference in relative spacing between initial user display contact locations and resulting user display contact locations; and 
 whether the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions also represent movement in similar axial directions axially relative to the length of the scrollbar; 
 
 automatically zooming available content displayed within the GUI in proportion to any determined difference in the relative spacing between the initial user display contact locations and the resulting user display contact locations, where a detected pinching motion of the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions closer together zooms in and enlarges a size of displayed portions of the available content and a detected stretching motion of the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions further apart zooms out and reduces the size of the displayed portions of the available content; and 
 concurrently scrolling the available content in proportion to any determined movement of a center of the scrollbar in the similar axial directions axially relative to the length of the scrollbar. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , where detecting the two simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device axially directed relative to the length of the scrollbar and each proximate to the display location of one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI of the device comprises:
 detecting that a user has contacted the display surface of the multitouch input display device at first and second user contact locations that each approximate a display location for one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar respectively; and 
 detecting a first and second simultaneous sliding movement axially relative to the length of the scrollbar in approximately opposite directions, associated with the first and second user contact locations respectively, along the display surface to third and fourth user contact locations. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , where automatically zooming the available content displayed within the GUI comprises:
 calculating a first spacing distance between the first and second user contact locations; 
 calculating a second spacing distance between the third and fourth user contact locations; 
 calculating a proportional difference between the first spacing distance and the second spacing distance relative to a quantity of the available content; and 
 automatically adjusting a displayed portion of the available content based upon the calculated proportional difference. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically adjusting a size of the displayed scroll element in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , where detecting the two simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device axially directed relative to the length of the scrollbar and each proximate to the display location of one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI of the device comprises:
 detecting two approximately axially-oriented simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface relative to an axis of movement of the displayed scroll element within the displayed scrollbar; and 
 automatically adjusting a size of the displayed scroll element axially within the displayed scrollbar in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI. 
 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a first lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to at least one of the two simultaneous sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI; and 
 setting a first marker within the available content at a first focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 detecting a second lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to the at least one of the two simultaneous sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI; and 
 setting a second marker within the available content at a second focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI; and 
 highlighting a portion of the available content between the first marker and the second marker for display. 
 
     
     
       8. A system, comprising:
 a multitouch input display device adapted to display visual information to a user and provide user input via user contact on a display surface; and 
 a processor programmed to:
 detect two simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device axially directed relative to a length of a scrollbar and each proximate to a display location of one of first and second edges of a displayed scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the device; 
 concurrently determine:
 whether the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions result in a difference in relative spacing between initial user display contact locations and resulting user display contact locations; and 
 whether the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions also represent movement in similar axial directions axially relative to the length of the scrollbar; 
 
 automatically zoom available content displayed within the GUI in proportion to any determined difference in the relative spacing between the initial user display contact locations and the resulting user display contact locations, where a detected pinching motion of the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions closer together zooms in and enlarges a size of displayed portions of the available content and a detected stretching motion of the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions further apart zooms out and reduces the size of the displayed portions of the available content; and 
 concurrently scroll the available content in proportion to any determined movement of a center of the scrollbar in the similar axial directions axially relative to the length of the scrollbar. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , where, in being programmed to detect the two simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device axially directed relative to the length of the scrollbar and each proximate to the display location of one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI of the device, the processor is programmed to:
 detect that the user has contacted the display surface of the multitouch input display device at first and second user contact locations that each approximate a display location for one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar respectively; and 
 detect a first and second simultaneous sliding movement axially relative to the length of the scrollbar in approximately opposite directions, associated with the first and second user contact locations respectively, along the display surface to third and fourth user contact locations. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , where, in being programmed to automatically zoom the available content displayed within the GUI, the processor is programmed to:
 calculate a first spacing distance between the first and second user contact locations; 
 calculate a second spacing distance between the third and fourth user contact locations; 
 calculate a proportional difference between the first spacing distance and the second spacing distance relative to a quantity of the available content; and 
 automatically adjust a displayed portion of the available content based upon the calculated proportional difference. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , where the processor is further programmed to automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8 , where, in being programmed to detect the two simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device axially directed relative to the length of the scrollbar and each proximate to the display location of one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI of the device, the processor is programmed to:
 detect two approximately axially-oriented simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface relative to an axis of movement of the displayed scroll element within the displayed scrollbar; and 
 automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element axially within the displayed scrollbar in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 8 , where the processor is further programmed to:
 detect a first lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to the relative axial direction associated with at least one of the two simultaneous sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI; and 
 set a first marker within the available content at a first focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , where the processor is further programmed to:
 detect a second lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to the relative axial direction associated with the at least one of the two simultaneous sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI; and 
 set a second marker within the available content at a second focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI; and 
 highlight a portion of the available content between the first marker and the second marker for display. 
 
     
     
       15. A system, comprising:
 a multitouch input display device adapted to display visual information to a user and provide user input via user contact on a display surface; and 
 a processor programmed to:
 detect that the user has contacted the display surface of the multitouch input display device at first and second user contact locations that each approximate a display location for one of first and second edges of a displayed scroll element respectively, of a scrollbar displayed within a graphical user interface (GUI); 
 detect first and second simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device axially relative to a length of the scrollbar and each proximate to the display location of one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar, associated with the first and second user contact locations respectively, to third and fourth user contact locations; 
 calculate a first spacing distance between the first and second user contact locations; 
 calculate a second spacing distance between the third and fourth user contact locations; 
 calculate a proportional difference between the first spacing distance and the second spacing distance relative to a quantity of the available content; 
 determine whether the detected first and second simultaneous sliding user interactions also represent movement in similar axial directions axially relative to the length of the scrollbar; 
 automatically zoom available content displayed within the GUI based upon the calculated proportional difference, where a detected pinching motion of the first and second simultaneous sliding user interactions closer together zooms in the available content and a detected stretching motion of the detected first and second simultaneous sliding user interactions further apart zooms out the available content; 
 concurrently scroll the available content in proportion to any determined movement of a center of the scrollbar in the similar axial directions axially relative to the length of the scrollbar; and 
 automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element in proportion to the automated adjustment of the displayed portion of the available content displayed within the GUI. 
 
 
     
     
       16. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage device including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:
 detect two simultaneous sliding user interactions along a display surface of a multitouch input display device axially relative to a length of a scrollbar and each proximate to a display location of one of first and second edges of a displayed scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the device; 
 concurrently determine:
 whether the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions result in a difference in spacing between initial and resulting user display contact locations; and 
 whether the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions also represent movement in similar axial directions axially relative to the length of the scrollbar; 
 
 automatically zoom available content displayed within the GUI in proportion to any determined difference in the relative spacing between the initial user display contact locations and the resulting user display contact locations, where a detected pinching motion of the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions closer together zooms in and enlarges a size of displayed portions of the available content and a detected stretching motion of the detected two simultaneous sliding user interactions further apart zooms out and reduces the size of the displayed portions of the available content; and 
 concurrently scroll the available content in proportion to any determined movement of a center of the scrollbar in the similar axial directions axially relative to the length of the scrollbar. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer program product of  claim 16 , where, in causing the computer to detect the two simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device axially directed relative to the length of the scrollbar and each proximate to the display location of one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI of the device, the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to:
 detect that a user has contacted the display surface of the multitouch input display device at first and second user contact locations that each approximate a display location for one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar respectively; and 
 detect a first and second simultaneous sliding movement axially relative to the length of the scrollbar in approximately opposite directions, associated with the first and second user contact locations respectively, along the display surface to third and fourth user contact locations. 
 
     
     
       18. The computer program product of  claim 17 , where, in causing the computer to automatically zoom the available content displayed within the GUI, the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to:
 calculate a first spacing distance between the first and second user contact locations; 
 calculate a second spacing distance between the third and fourth user contact locations; 
 calculate a proportional difference between the first spacing distance and the second spacing distance relative to a quantity of the available content; and 
 automatically adjust a displayed portion of the available content based upon the calculated proportional difference. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer program product of  claim 16 , where the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI. 
     
     
       20. The computer program product of  claim 16 , where, in causing the computer to detect the two simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device axially directed relative to the length of the scrollbar and each proximate to the display location of one of the first and second edges of the displayed scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI of the device, the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to:
 detect two approximately axially-oriented simultaneous sliding user interactions along the display surface relative to an axis of movement of the displayed scroll element within the displayed scrollbar; and 
 automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element axially within the displayed scrollbar in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI. 
 
     
     
       21. The computer program product of  claim 16 , where the computer readable program when executed on the computer further causes the computer to:
 detect a first lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to at least one of the two simultaneous sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI; and 
 set a first marker within the available content at a first focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI. 
 
     
     
       22. The computer program product of  claim 21 , where the computer readable program when executed on the computer further causes the computer to:
 detect a second lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to the at least one of the two simultaneous sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element of the scrollbar displayed on the GUI; and 
 set a second marker within the available content at a second focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI; and 
 highlight a portion of the available content between the first marker and the second marker for display.